Better By Far
by Calanthia
Summary: Molly Malone is scared and on the run, though from what, she can't say.  Can the staff of the Xavier Institute keep her safe?
1. Chapter 1

_Well, it's certainly the last place I ever thought I'd end up,_ thought Molly with a certain sense of detached calm. She stopped her car in front of the imposing wrought iron gate and stared beyond it to the equally imposing brick-and-ivy front of the school. Really it was more of a mansion, but as her mother used to say: any port in a storm.

Taking a deep breath, Molly rolled her window down and pressed the call button on the speaker box next to the driveway.

"Welcome to the Xavier School; how can we help you?" asked a tinny but pleasant female voice.

"I need to speak to a-" Molly paused for a moment, looking down at the note on her hand. "Charles Xavier. I need to speak to him immediately. It's of the utmost importance."

"I regret to inform you that Professor Xavier is no longer with us. However, we will help you to the fullest of our ability. Please, pull up and park in the driveway. Someone will meet you."

The sentence was followed by a short burst of static as the person on the line ended the conversation. The gates in front of Molly's car swung open silently and she pulled into the wide, sweeping driveway and parked. She reached over to the seat beside her and gathered the large, rather cumbersome bag she'd thrown there. Stepping out of the car, Molly opened the back seat and took out the bassinet before she transferred a peacefully sleeping child from a car seat to the bassinet. Ready at last, Molly shut the doors, locked the car, and walked to the front of the mansion. A woman with pure white hair was waiting in the doorway when Molly reached it. She graciously offered to take the large baby bag, but Molly declined. It had become a security blanket at some point.

"Please, come with me," the woman said, and Molly recognized her as the woman she'd spoken to via call box. "My name is Ororo Munroe; I'm the headmistress here at the Xavier school since he passed away."

"I'm so sorry for your loss," Molly murmured sympathetically.

The headmistress-Molly couldn't really think of her in any other terms-led Molly to a lovely study lined with cherry wood bookcases. A large, rather masculine desk dominated the space and two soft-looking chairs faced the desk.

"Please have a seat, and you can tell me your name and what, exactly, you need help with."

Molly set the bassinet and baby bag on the ground by her feet and perched on the edge of the chair nervously.

"My name is Molly Malone and this is my godson, Caleb Johnston. I'm from Boston, been driving all day to get here, Miss Munroe."

"Very well then, Molly: What can we do for you?"

"I witnessed Caleb's mother's murder yesterday," Molly told her bleakly.

Molly watched the headmistress's eyes widen, an expression of horror flashing across her face.

"She was a mutant."

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><p>Hey there! So, this is my first fanfic ever and I figured I'd put this up to see how it went. It's sort of an intro to the story. Second chapter will be up in a few minutes.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

The headmistress paled upon hearing Molly's words. "Just a moment, dear. There are others who should hear this and I would not want you to be forced to tell it over and over."

She pushed a button on an intercom on the desk and called for a few people. Presently, two men and another woman entered the study.

"Logan, Warren, Collette, this is Molly Malone. She may have some new information regarding the recent mutant murders. Molly, this is Logan, our…defense specialist, Warren, one of the instructors here, and Collette, our telepath."

Molly nodded at each of them in turn before looking to the headmistress for approval to continue her story.

"Caleb's mother's name was Megan Johnston. I met her in the sixth grade when my family moved to America from Ireland and we were instantly best friends. We went to college at different universities, but they were only an hour apart. After graduation, I moved into an apartment in Boston with some other friends of ours. Most of my family is in Boston. Anyway, Meg got married to a wonderful guy and got pregnant, but her husband died before Caleb was born. Congenital heart defect."

Here Molly stopped, throat clogged with tears. She sniffled a little and gratefully accepted a tissue handed to her by one of the three standing off to one side of her. Breathing deeply, Molly continued.

"Mike was a great man, and Meg loved him more than I thought was possible. She was really scared when he died; on top of being newly widowed she had a baby on the way. Meg knew my lease renewal on the apartment was coming up, so she asked me if I'd be willing to move in with her and help her out. I agreed the moment she suggested it. Meg is like my sister and I desperately wanted to help her. Caleb was born, Meg made me his godmother, and things were great for a little while. If Meg cried herself to sleep sometimes…well it was to be expected. Then the anti-mutant fervor began in earnest.

"Meg's mutation was harmless, really. Or maybe I just thought it was harmless because she would never have misused it. Meg could stop time for about a minute within a certain distance of herself. I'm not even sure how anyone knew about it, since she rarely used it in private and certainly never in public."

"When, exactly, did the murder occur?" asked the man the headmistress had called Logan, getting a little impatient. The headmistress gave him a sharp look and he quieted, leaving the room blanketed in a tense silence.

The silence was broken by the wail of an infant. Molly looked down at the bassinet blankly. The headmistress, seeing her distress, stepped over and picked Caleb up, gently rocking him as she walked around. Miss Munroe made sure to stay in Molly's line of vision as Caleb settled, so that Molly could see that he was fine.

"Please continue," Miss Munroe prompted.

"Well, the m-m-murder," Molly choked out, "took place yesterday."

She paused once more to steady herself and took Caleb from Miss Munroe when he started to fuss again. Molly settled him in her arms and looked down at the child, finding solace in his innocence.

"I was putting Caleb down for a nap. He'd been fussy all day and Meg needed a break, so I was taking care of him. I heard someone bang on the door, which was odd. The suburb Meg and I lived in was quiet, peaceful. I heard Meg open the door and I walked down the hallway towards the entry. I made sure to stay hidden, buy I looked around the corner to see who was there. It was these two men, wearing…wearing jeans and band tee shirts, of all things. I never thought that's what a killer would wear. A ski mask, maybe, but college student clothes? Anyway, one was burly, with black hair, and the other was leaner and had brown hair. The brown haired one had an accent, but I couldn't place it. I-I watched them…I watched them shoot my best friend, my _sister_, and then cut her head off so she couldn't 'come back to life.'"

"Could you point out either of them if you were to see them?" asked Miss Munroe gently.

"Yes, definitely."

"What happened next?"

"I ran back to the nursery, locked myself in there with Caleb, and waited until I heard the front door slam again. Then I waited an hour longer just in case. I ran back out to the entryway, and I saw… Anyway, I went to the kitchen and found a number that Meg had said we should call if anything strange of the mutant variety happened. I had a friend look up the number and find the address and spent all day today driving to get here. I had nowhere else to go. I didn't even call the police, because I was worried what they'd say or do since Meg was a mutant. I locked the house up after I'd packed some things. I figure you'll be more help if the…the crime scene was left untouched. It should still be there."

Molly couldn't feel the tears on her face, but she could feel the sobs tearing through her, pulling her to pieces. She was shaking so hard that Caleb, who had fallen asleep, was awake again. Molly sat there as the man called Warren gently took Caleb from her and Miss Munroe led her out of the office.

"Caleb, I have to be with Caleb. He's all I have left of Meg; I'm all he has left of her."

"Shh, Warren will bring the child to you. Come, we must get you to the medical bay."

Molly allowed herself to be led down a hallway and into an elevator, which let out on a hallway that seemed made of metal. Miss Munroe guided her to a room that looked like something from a hospital. Molly was guided to the bed, but she merely stood there, shaking, until she saw Warren come in holding Caleb, the empty bassinet, and the baby bag.

"Hank, we need you. Miss Malone seems to be under a lot of stress," Miss Munroe called to an unseen man.

Molly only had time to briefly wonder what her stress had to do with anything before a large blue, furry man came into the room. In short order, Molly was laying down on the bed, hooked to an IV, the world growing dim and indistinct as whatever medications came in the trauma kit began to take effect.

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><p>Here's chapter two... Also, since this is post X3, I inserted a character to act as the telepath, since I figure that the school should have one...<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Molly awoke to the sound of voices. It sounded like Miss Munroe and someone else, someone male, though with her head muddled by sedatives, she couldn't be sure.

"-been here since she was brought down here," she heard Miss Munroe say.

"She needs Caleb here when she wakes up and we can't leave the baby by himself," argued the man.

"Caleb?" Molly muttered groggily. She heard a strange rustling as the man, who she now recognized as Warren, drew closer.

"He's right here, Miss Malone," Warren reassured her.

"Please, call me Molly," Molly said in return, struggling to sit up. Miss Munroe helped her get settled before walking out of the room to get Hank.

Once Hank had examined her and she had received a clean bill of health, Molly stood up and went to take Caleb from Warren's arms.

"Thank you so much for caring for him. Where are the bassinet and bag? For that matter, how long have I been out?"

"It's been a little over one day; it's 7:30 pm. Now, I moved Caleb's things up to a guest room. We'd like for you to stay here at the institute, at least until we can be sure that no one will be looking to hurt you or the baby."

"But I'm not a mutant. And Caleb hasn't manifested any abilities, though he's still a bit young for all that," she said somewhat dryly.

"Still, it'll be safer for both of you. Now, Logan and Collette took the helicopter to Boston to examine your home. They brought back some of the nursery furniture. I'm afraid we don't have much in the way of baby equipment." Warren flashed her a charming grin.

Molly smiled up at him briefly before looking down at Caleb and pressing a kiss to his face. She frowned and placed her cheek against his forehead.

"Could you show me to the guest room? I think Caleb's running a temperature, which, you know, would be just marvelous with everything else going on."

Warren took in her expression: sadness mixed with guilt and frustration. At that moment, she looked very young and very overwhelmed by everything going on in her life, far removed from the composed, capable woman of the previous day. Still it was to be expected; she'd just gone through what would probably be the most traumatic experience of her life.

"Right this way," Warren said gently, guiding her to an elevator. "If you'd like, I know a physician who would be happy to make a mansion-call. Hank is wonderful, but he's never had to deal with pediatrics. Doctor Henderson is the best; he's been taking care of me since I was Caleb's age."

"Oh could you?" Molly breathed, some of the tension easing from her face. "That is, if it's not too much trouble."

"No trouble at all," Warren reassured her as they stopped outside a wooden door. "Why don't you leave Caleb with me and we'll wait for Dr. Henderson while you get some more rest."

"Bless your heart."

Warren was pleased that he had put that expression of relief on her face.

"It's no problem. We'll do man-things while we wait, eat and grunt and watch sports," he joked.

Molly laughed a little before she handed Caleb over to Warren along with the bag containing diapers, wipes, and food, among other things; somehow, she knew Caleb would be perfectly safe with Warren. Warren expertly maneuvered both, watching Molly enter her room before walking away to sit in the common room. He placed a call to Dr. Henderson, who promised to be there in ten minutes, and then sprawled out on the sofa, Caleb nestled against his chest. Warren turned on a hockey game and blinked. The next thing he knew, there was a brief flash and he was waking up to see the doctor and Ororo standing in front of the tv.

"Hey, doc, Ro," Warren greeted the two.

"Let me see the child," Dr. Henderson demanded without preamble. Warren obediently handed him over, but couldn't help but hover to make sure Caleb was okay. "Boy, I'll let you know if I need a hand; now move back and let me be!"

Warren reluctantly stepped back, surprised at how concerned he was for the defenseless, now-motherless child. He nervously watched the doctor work, jumping when Ororo put her hand on his shoulder to reassure him.

"Well, the little one will be just fine. The fever is already going down, his lungs sound clear; everything should be fine. Keep him cool: you can wet some cloths with cool water to help. Let him sleep and he should be fine. Call me if he gets worse."

"Thanks, doc," Warren sighed in relief. "Molly will be so glad to hear it."

The doctor and Ororo looked at him strangely when he said that, but Warren was already heading back to the guest room to set Caleb in his crib for the night.

"Are you going to print that photo out?" asked Dr. Henderson.

"And have it framed," Ororo responded. "After all, I want to be able to prove that I saw the whole thing coming right from the beginning."

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><p>So, here's chapter three! Hopefully, I'll have chapter four up within the week. It should have more about Meg and what really happened in Boston!<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

It was very late -or maybe very early- when Logan and Colette finally finished reviewing everything they'd learned about the murder and its connection to other recent mutant murders. Ororo ordered everyone to bed under the pretense of being too exhausted to thoroughly examine the case. She knew that everyone, even Logan, needed time to absorb the day's events. The murder would continue to be a murder tomorrow.

Morning found Warren sleepily walking into the kitchen, idly stretching his wings as he tried to decide if he wanted coffee or tea. It was rather early, but Warren was a morning person, unlike most of the mansion's residents, and he enjoyed the solitude of the kitchen when everyone else was asleep. He wasn't expecting any company and he _certainly_ wasn't expecting a very awake Molly making breakfast while Caleb clutched her pants to stay upright on his feet. Warren choked on a yawn at the sight.

"Jeanie Mac! You gave me such a fright," Molly said, one hand to her chest. Caleb wobbled as Molly turned towards the doorway. "Oh, Warren!"

Molly was shocked to see Warren without a shirt, but more shocking by far were the large, white-feathered wings arching gracefully behind him. She was speechless, staring unabashedly. Gradually, awkwardness seeped into the air between the two.

"I-I'll just go put a shirt on," Warren stammered. "I didn't think- no one's ever up this early besides me."

"Oh, please, don't go to any trouble for me," Molly insisted.

"No, really, it's impolite of me…"

Despite his words, Warren remained motionless in the doorway, gaze locked on Molly's. Both felt uncomfortable with the situation, but neither made any move to diffuse it.

"Augh!" Warren suddenly grunted. Molly started and looked down. While she was distracted, Caleb had crawled across the kitchen floor and was using the feathers of Warren's wings to pull himself up.

Warren bent down and gently disentangled Caleb's hands from the feathers before picking him up.

"I'm sorry. Here, I'll take him," Molly fretted.

"Don't worry about it. He didn't know any better and there's no permanent damage. Besides, you're going to the trouble of making breakfast; it's the least I can do to watch Caleb."

"That's wonderful of you; thank you. I hope it's okay that I just commandeered the kitchen. You've been so generous taking me in and looking into Meg's death. I thought this was the least I could do."

"It's perfectly fine, Molly, and definitely appreciated."

A comfortable silence fell over the two as Warren put the coffee pot to brew and settled on a stool with Caleb and Molly finished up the French toast she was making. She couldn't help but sneak sidelong glances at Warren, who really was a gorgeous man. On the heels of that thought followed guilt that she could think of such trivial things when her best friend had just died. Suddenly, Molly felt her eyes tear up. She surreptitiously swiped at them and Warren tactfully kept silent.

Molly put the now-finished French toast in a pan in the oven to keep it warm and turned, laughing as she watched Caleb make another grab for Warren's feathers and Warren scolded him gently. The easy camaraderie that Caleb inspired was shattered, however, by the arrival of Miss Munroe, Logan, and Colette. Their presence reminded Molly of the grim reality of her stay at the mansion.

"Smells good," Logan grunted. "We never get real breakfast in the summer, too few people to make the effort."

"I hope you don't mind, Miss Munroe, that I used your kitchen," Molly said, not quite meeting Miss Munroe's eyes.

"It's perfectly fine, especially since the result smells wonderful, as Logan mentioned. Though I do wish you'd call me Ororo."

"Very well then, Mi- Ororo. Breakfast was the least I could do."

Molly smiled, looking directly at Ororo for the first time since she'd arrived at the mansion the previous evening. Motioning everyone to sit on the stools at the breakfast bar, Molly set out plates and mugs in front of each person and served the toast and coffee.

"I know you went to the house last night, so I suppose it's time to look at the facts and suss it," Molly sighed, not wanting to put off the inevitable.

"I'm sorry, 'suss it'?" Warren asked, perplexed.

"I must still be a little bit out of sorts. 'Suss' is slang for 'figure it out.' I've worked most of the Irish out of my speech, if not my accent, but it crops up now and again."

"More pressing matters await our attention," Ororo reminded them gently.

"Of course," Molly replied sheepishly.

"From what we saw-" Logan's comment was cut off by the sharp rap to the hand by a spoon. His claws shot out of his hands as Molly backed away, one hand over her mouth.

"That was right stupid of me. My mum used to do the same to me when I spoke with my mouth full at the table and I did it to my little sister. Please carry on."

Logan made a point of swallowing before he continued.

"As I was saying, it doesn't bear a resemblance to any of the Friends of Humanity's acts of violence, but we didn't think it was them anyway. This was very…efficient for all that it was a hate crime. It was planned: they went in, shot her twice in the chest, and then…well, you know the rest. FOH attacks are usually spur-of-the-moment. Either way, we'd like you to look at the photos we have of the known members of FOH and see if any of them matches the two men you saw."

"And I think perhaps it would be better if you stayed here in the mansion. Anything you need, we can provide," Colette added.

"I couldn't do that! I won't be a burden," Molly told her stubbornly.

"Perhaps we can work out an arrangement," interrupted Ororo. "Molly, would you agree to cook for those of us in the house for the duration of your stay? At the moment, it's only the four of yus and you and Caleb."

"Well, I suppose that's a fair agreement."

"Marvelous!"

"Ororo, would it be all right if I called my family? I just want to let them know I'm okay, but I left my mobile at the house."

"That's perfectly fine. Give them a call and then we'll all meet in the common room to go over the FOH roster." At Molly's nod, Ororo exited the room, followed closely by Logan.

"I'll go get the photos," Colette volunteered.

As the kitchen cleared out, Molly turned toward Warren when she realized he must still be holding Caleb. She smiled when she saw Caleb laughing at the faces Warren made at him.

"Here, I'll take him. He needs food anyway," Molly told him. Warren handed him over, watching as Molly cut up a small piece of French toast and fed it to Caleb. She picked up a bottle off the counter went to the refrigerator, filling the bottle with milk and warming it just a bit.

"Warren," Molly began timidly, "could you do me a favor?"

"Of course, Molly."

"I left a bag out in the car and it has clothes, my other runners, and a few other things. Would you mind bringing it into the house?"

"No problem; where are your keys?"

"In Caleb's diaper bag in our room. Thank you so much, Warren; you're an angel!"

Warren laughed more, Molly thought, than that statement warranted. Shrugging it off, she finished loading the dirty dishes into the dishwasher and moved into the common room. It was time to face this problem head on. It was time to slay some demons. But first, it was time to call her parents, which (given that she hadn't talked to them since before the murder) might be just as bad.

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><p>So, here's chapter four! Just to clarify, it's summer at the mansion and everyone's away, which is why Molly's only met four of the mansion's residents. Also, Caleb is about 10 months old. And finally, since Molly's Irish, I've added just a little bit of Irish English into her speech. There's not a lot, since she's been living in America for roughly 10 or 11 years, but since she left around age 11, it would make sense for her to still have some of it left in her vocabulary. To that end, 'Jeanie Mac' is an exclamation similar to "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph" and 'runners' are sneakers. Sorry for the long note, thanks a million to my reviewers (:D), and enjoy!<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

"Molly Decla Malone, how could you do such a thing to your poor parents? Six days you don't see us or call us and then we hear about poor Meg on the news! Where've you been, luv? Are you safe?"

Molly sighed when she heard the genuine fear in her mother's voice. She really felt bad for putting them through such worry. She took a moment to gather her thoughts and settle Caleb into the crib for a nap before replying.

"I'm sorry mum. I would have called before but I was scared and I panicked. I'm safe. I'm…I'm at a place where they'll help me and Caleb."

"Well don't be worrying us so, luv. Now, I love you very much, but your father has some important matters to discuss with you. Be good." Molly heard the sound of the phone being passed on and her father's deep, reassuring voice came on the line.

"Molly, my pet, it's glad I am to hear you're all right. Wherever you are, though, I'm afraid you're needed here at home. The police are wanting to question you, though I've not heard anything about you as a suspect. And there's the matter of the little tyke. I know you love Caleb, but he's got family, pet. The reading of the will is soon as well. You can't run from this, my bonnie girl."

"I know, Da. I just…it was the first thing I could think to do: run. Do you think it would be all right if I brought someone with me? The people here where I'm staying, they're good people and they're helping me."

Warren froze just outside the guest room. He was strangely pleased by the knowledge that Molly was so comfortable here in the mansion and with its residents. Ignoring his mother's voice in his head saying that eavesdroppers never hear good things, Warren stayed by the door.

"They've all been so welcoming and Warren-he's one of the staff-he's been wonderful."

Warren smiled, thrilled by what he'd heard. He couldn't hear the other side of the conversation, but he _could _practically hear Molly rolling her eyes as she replied.

"Right, da, I'm sure that would go over well. I love you; tell mum I love her. Ta!"

The door of the guest room suddenly opened and Warren flung himself backwards, wings awkwardly bumping around. He winced in a little bit of pain and a lot of embarrassment as they sent a painting flying off the wall.

"That was really…I should pick that up," Warren stammered, embarrassed. He bent to pick up the painting and knocked a statuette off a table on the opposite wall. "I'll just-"

"Warren, let me get that. You just stand there, perfectly still, and don't make any more noise," Molly said with a laugh.

She quickly put the hall to rights and walked with Warren down the hall.

"Hey, Warren, where can I find Ororo? I need to speak with her."

"She's probably in her office; I'll take you there."

"Thank you, Warren."

They walked in a comfortable silence all the way to the office Molly had been in just yesterday, her first day at the mansion. It felt like she'd been there for weeks, rather than just a day. Shaking off her thoughts, Molly timidly knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

When Warren moved to let Molly enter alone, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him inside with her. Warren just barely managed to pull his wings in in time to avoid another mishap. Molly perched on the edge of one of the chairs and Warren stood behind her, hands braced on the back of her chair.

"I'm afraid that Caleb and I have to go back to Boston, Ororo, at least for a little while. The police are...and...and-" Warren cut her off with a hand to the shoulder and found that she was shaking in her seat.

"Molly is needed in Boston. She has to give a statement to the police and there are the matters of the will and custody that need to be addressed."

"Of course, Molly. You do what you need to do."

"I'd like to stay here tonight and leave in the morning…and I was wondering if…if someone could come with me. I'd rather not be alone."

"I'll go," Warren immediately volunteered. He was rewarded by the look of happiness on Molly's face.

"That will be fine," Ororo said with an indulgent smile.

"Thank you, Warren."

Molly and Warren excused themselves and packed their bags. When Molly had finished and gone down to start lunch, Warren gathered his things and Molly's and set them by the door before following her to the kitchen.

The few residents left in the mansion settled down to eat lunch in a somber mood, but by the time Molly had served the food and everyone had started to eat, the mood had shifted to a more lighthearted one.

"Let me help you clean up the dishes," Colette offered when they had all finished eating.

"That's right kind of you; I'd appreciate it!"

Colette helped gather the dishes and dried them as Molly washed then in the sink. She glanced at Molly out of the corner of her eye, subtly probing her mind for information.

"You don't want to be poking about in my head," Molly said pleasantly. Colette simply stared.

"What are you? You're not a mutant, but there was no way everyone's mood changed simultaneously. Even Logan was smiling. So I'll ask again: What are you?"

"Now, Colette, surely you've heard that Ireland is full of the descendants of the Tuatha dé Danann. And besides, it's healthy to maintain some mystery. If you'll excuse me, I'll go look in on Caleb now that the dishes are done."

Molly smiled brightly at Colette, leaving her speechless in the kitchen.

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><p>Here's the next chapter! If it seems like there's a lot of time between updates, it's because I'm writing this as I go; I don't have it prewritten. Anyway, hope you enjoy. Sorry if it's taking a while to get where it's going. :)<p> 


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